Unit Name

Poetry in Motion

Key Learning Areas

English/Visual Arts

Year Level

Duration

2 weeks

Rationale: This unit combines English and Visual Arts to write and illustrate a poem. Students are exposed to various forms of figurative language,
encouraging them to appreciate and understand how authors use figurative language to enhance their writing. They are further engaged by
portraying their message visually.

Identify Curriculum Content descriptors

Strand

Sub-strand

English

Examining Literature

Creating Literature

Visual Arts

General Capabilities

Content descriptor
Understand, interpret and experiment with sound devices and imagery, including simile,
metaphor and personification, in narratives, shape poetry, songs, anthems and odes
(ACELT1611)
Create literary texts that experiment with structures, ideas and stylistic features of selected
authors (ACELT1798)
Explore ideas and practices used by artists, including practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander artists, to represent different views, beliefs and opinions (ACAVAM114)

Personal and Social

Critical and Creative

Thinking

Make decisions - identify factors that influence decision making and consider the usefulness
of these in making their own decisions
Identify and clarify information and ideas - identify and clarify relevant information and
prioritise ideas

Critical and Creative

Thinking

Organise and process information - analyse, condense and combine relevant information
from multiple sources

Information
Communication
Technology (ICT)

Collaborate, share and exchange - use appropriate ICT tools safely to share and exchange
information with appropriate known audience

Literacy

Use knowledge of text structures - use developing knowledge of the structure and features
of learning area texts to comprehend and compose a range of more complex texts for
identified purposes

Literacy

Use knowledge of words and word groups - expand and sharpen ideas through careful
choice of verbs and phrases and elaborated tenses

Teaching and Learning Sequence

Lesson 1

Introduce Figurative Language.

Figurative
Language
(Idioms)

Engage students in topic by providing purpose (creating books for Campus Open Day).

Assessment
Formative Assessment
Google Slides

Show students YouTube clip explaining figurative language. Lesson 1 uses idioms to introduce
students to the idea that words/phrases are not always literal they can have figurative meanings.
Students identify both literal and figurative meanings of idioms.

Lesson 2
Figurative
Language
(Personification
)

Continue to develop understanding of figurative language through personification. Introduce the

question of why figurative language is used.
Class works together to write a personification poem about a shoe together.
Students write their own poem using shoe pictures as prompts.

Formative Assessment
Poems written in class

Lesson 3

Continue to develop understanding of figurative language through similes and metaphors.

Formative Assessment

Figurative
Language
(Similes and
Metaphors)

Focus on the idea that similes and metaphors make comparisons. Changing similes to metaphor
(omitting as or like) helps students to see the difference between the two.

Edmodo contribution

Lesson 4

Bring together previous lessons. Students can use resources provided on the Poetry in Motion
Webmix to revisit what has been covered.

Figurative
Language

The Owl Moon text is used to recognise and see how personification, similes and metaphors are
used to enrich a text.

Students write their own poems.

Formative Assessment
Observation of poetry
writing and sharing

Share poems with a Learning Partner.

Lesson 5
Understanding
Illustrations

Introduce the Visual Arts aspect of this unit. Students need to create an appropriate illustration for
their poem.
Show art works created on a heart theme discuss similarities and differences.

Formative Assessment
Visual Arts Diary
Google Slides

Show two different fish illustrations discuss similarities and differences.

Use Visual arts diary to record some observations (see questions in Lesson Plan).
Look at Childrens Book illustrations, select one and copy to a Google Slide and answer questions
(see Lesson Plan).
Lesson 6/7
Creating
eBooks

Students illustrate their poems. Consider the elements of the previous lesson to ensure
appropriate illustrations (message, colour, line, shape and texture).
Show students how to merge pdf files using smallpdf.com
Show students how to upload their combined pdf files to Livebooklet.

Summative Assessment
Pdf of poem and
illustration see
Assessment Rubric
Final Books
(Artist Statement)